Full of Life
by Mella Potter
Summary: Hermione is depressed. Many people she knew, died during the final battle. And then one day she visits Hogwarts again... NP/HG Post DH Nick the ghost is NG
1. Depression

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything like that, though I wish. :D

**A/N: Hey people, I'm re-starting the story, the first one was two years ago and it was before DH so ya. I'm re-starting. Thanks to a certain somebody for convincing me. : )**

_I remember my childhood, my parents both dentist's, always were busy but they really cared. When I got accepted at Hogwarts they were overjoyed for me._

_Then one day, when I was entering the war I sent them away, for their own safety, I assured myself._

_But was it really that, or was Harry's quest more important to me?_

_I miss all the people who died; Lupin, Tonks, Fred, Dumbledore…._

As Hermione woke up from her troubled slumber she reflected on her dreams, her ambitions, and finally her fears..

"Good morning Hermione, rise and shine." she mumbled to herself, as this was becoming a habit.

Night was a painful affair and she always had to get ready for it. A drink of fire whiskey and a muggle aspirin was she used.

"Rise and shine…" she repeated to herself.

She groaned as the hangover came on, specifically when she was climbing out of bed.

After taking a shower, Hermione stood in front of the mirror. Her dark curly chestnut hair hung in limp locks, an opposite of it's former bouncy joyful volume.

_I should go back, get ride of the suspicions…_

Someone reading might wonder, what suspicions? Well she was scared of everything being her fault. In one way it was the onset of depression, she blamed herself.

Hermione thought about her favourite place, Hogwarts. The beauty, the mystery, and the pure class.

But…..

_I'm scared to face it!_

She took a deep breath: "Hogwarts here I come."

"Hello?" she called out tapping the glass on the train ticket vendors cubby. She heard a grunt and then a very chubby wizard in uniform opened a door and walked in. "What?" he asked in a disgruntled voice.

"Well I'm trying to buy a ticket to Hogsmeade…"

The ticket vendor sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright…"

There she had bought a ticket, what a joy, now she was going back to Hogwarts.

_Relax Hermione, this is perfectly normal. You're just going there to say hi… she thought to calm herself._

_As she climbed on to the steam train she took a deep breath and smiled._


	2. Something Sweet

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you think you've seen before. If I did, it's unlikely this would be free..

**A/N:** Yay chapter two! No writer's block so far. I hope you like the story, I know the last chapter was fairly short but I'm on a time limit, trying to manage my life. It's spring break so I have time but when school set's in again… don't be mad…. I might not update for a while. But hey, enjoy!

Hermione stepped of the train at Hogsmead Station. It had been two years since the war and seeing it all again brought back happy memories with people she had lost..

She gasped and squinted her eyes in an effort to hold back tears.

As she walked up the great stone steps towards that large door, she shivered, even though it was only June.

Perhaps it was the nerves.

As she started opening the doors and putting her body on the door, she felt the door push out and she fell.

Suddenly a shrill voice yelled "Peeves!!"

Hermione gave a gasp as the door as pulled open and a skinny boy with red hair stepped out.

"Hi, I'm Alex Weasley, I'm from the States, and I guess I'm dealing with Peeves since I'm new." he said holding out his hand. Hermione suddenly felt that this boy was incredibly familiar.

"What a second, Weasley?" she asked, squinting her eyes. The boy shuffled his feet nervously.

"Ya, my third cousins took me in, but McGonagall let me say here to get used to the castle." explained Alex.

"But I'm okay here." he said proudly with a gap toothed grin. Very similar to that goofy grin Ron had.

Hermione herself started shuffling. "Well I should be going, bye."

Hermione walked up the hallway nervously. Memories flashed in front of her again. The great hall was newly renovated but in her mind Hermione saw the rubble and chaos.

She cried out and started running away. Away from the pain in her head, and the horrible images.

Then she felt her body go very cold, and something translucent and white appear in front of her.

"Oh dear, what are you doing?" asked a very pompous voice.

She felt some memory stir in her mind. "Nick?" asked Hermione.

"The very same, but I prefer you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington." he said with a smile.

Hermione gave him one of her rare smiles as well.

Hermione was surprised at seeing Nick. She felt herself relax.

"Do you wish to come tonight with me? We're having a wonderful party.

"Peeves is not invited as it is the Bloody Baron's death day." he added with a smile.

Hermione considered this offer. _It's better with the dead rather than the living._

"Okay."

As Hermione settled in to her room after seeing McGonagall, she thought about the party.

Nick was really nice and to be honest, Hermione had always thought him quite attractive, not looking at the whole 'he's a ghost' thing.

For a while in her sixth year, Hermione had wondered about ghost's and what was on the other side.

_I'm going to ask Nick tonight._

Hermione now started looking through her wardrobe for something suitable and formal.

The red cocktail dress, the matching sweater and jeans, or perhaps the champagne dress with sequins?

Then something caught her eye; a letter.

_Dearest Living Creature,_

_We formally invite you to the 1276__th__ Annual Ghost Deathday Party. This year we are celebrating the death of the Bloody Baron (we will not disclose his full name due to personal concerns)._

_Please wear your best celebration clothes(not including yellow, orange, red, pink, or any 'flashy' colours)._

_Since you are alive, we recommend you bring your own food._

_Best Wishes,_

_The International Ghost Society _

Hermione raised her eyebrows at the rest of the message;

_Hermione-_

_Thank you for coming, since I doubt you have any formal mourning clothes, I'm sending over a package._

_Sincerely, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington _

_Suddenly, a huge gust of wind brought a strange burgundy wrapped box, onto the bed._

_Hermione started unwrapping it and the silky magical wrapping cloth fell around the wooden box in elegant folds. As Hermione opened the strange box (inscribed with many runes) there was a light and out came a beautiful silk dress made in black. It had scrunched up folds at the end and beautiful bunches of black roses pinned on at the top. The material itself was unlikely to be simply silk, as it had a magical shine to it._

_Hermione smiled. She felt that Nick really cared._

_Putting on the dress was a wonderful experience. The dress slid softly over her body and glazed her toes nicely. It hugged her curves and the shine was just a beauty. _

_Hermione gave another smile. Her fears and demons left her. _

"_Thank you." she said out loud to no one in particular._


	3. Perhaps Romance?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that you remember, and Stranger's in the Night is not mine, though I wish, it's beautiful.

**A/N: **Yay I've been receiving reviews. Remember give me reviews, they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I write faster and more when I have reviews to speed me along.

_I miss my parents, I remember when we used to go to formal parties and my parents always held me away from the sweets. "They are bad for your teeth dear." _

Hermione walked down the corridor, her dress shimmering oh ever so slightly, as in response to the magic.

She smiled, Nick was truly nice to invite. This was in fact a great way to go back and see the castle as she hadn't looked around it for over a year. Each memory bringing pain.

The hallway's had a shine around them, and Hermione sighed happily as she walked towards the Great Hall. Other ghost's were floating there as well.

She saw the Grey Lady dressed in lacy tatters of pure spirit.

Hermione saw Nick in his formal everyday (literally, he could not change).

"Hello dear Hermione, how are you doing this evening?" he asked. Hermione smiled and then she felt a cool breeze on her hand, and Nick lifted her hand and kissed it in a ghostly manner.

"Great, how are you?" she asked.

"Oh I'm okay, really." he answered as a thin sallow looking ghost walked up to them. She gasped.

His face was familiar. It had that former coldness of the late Severus Snape.

"May I introduce you to Tobias Snape?" asked Nick. Hermione regained her posture and forced a smile at the shock of it. "You might have been acquainted with my son, Severus." he posed in a unquestioning like manner.

Hermione nodded, and her dress shivered along with her twitchy movements. Nick nodded at Tobias and moved ahead, Hermione following. The Great Hall was full of grey and white ghost's. Hermione's suddenly had an ironic thought, full of life. Even though all of the guests(mostly) were dead, it was lively.

She was awed by the decorations, how had they been made when the ghost's were pure spirit?

"We were helped by living creatures who can touch, feel, taste, and smell the world around them…" he stated sadly as in response by following her gaze around.

As they walked farther, they noticed the Bloody Baron greeting all his guests.

Many ghost's were talking with one another.

"It is sad that the Baron has more guests than I had." sniffed Nick in a pompous manner. Hermione raised her eyebrows. She hadn't known Nick to be so spoiled at times. Then suddenly Nick looked at her and melted into a smile. "Sorry, but I guess my disappointment got the best of me."

Hermione popped a fast laugh.

"Glad to hear you are not offended." he said with another of his charismatic smiles. One of those smiled that Hermione had blushed at when she was a student. Before the war…..

She was taken aback at her chain of thoughts. Why did even the best thing end up going towards the war?

"Well the party is truly starting, let us go." said Nick.

Hermione was re-awed at the rest of the party; the attire, the music(much different from the awful shrieking she heard at Nick's party.), and the ghost's.

Finally, when everyone heard a great horn, all the ghost's gathered. Hermione took care to not walk through them.

The lights dimmed, the music died down, and the Baron walked onto the stage(recently put in, just for the party).

"Welcome.." he said sinisterly. "This is normal." whispered Nick to Hermione, his hands coldly brushing her neck as he leaned in to tell her.

She jumped at this but Nick did not notice as his attention was fully on the Baron.

The Baron closed his eyes dramatically…. And the lights went back on in one swift motion!

Every ghost shouted in a celebration movement. Hermione was surprised. Nick raised his eyebrows but then remembered.

"I forgot to tell you, this was part of the party."

Softly tables materialised, and on them lay dishes of rotten foods. Foul cheeses, fish, meats, and other bad foods.

Hermione remembered back to Nick's party and to the explanation of a random ghost.

She crinkled her nose to the horrid smells. "Would you rather we went outside?" offered Nick.

She smiled and he led the way, in response to her accepting smile.

The Great Hall's Door were slightly open and Hermione squeezed past.

Nick led her outside, past the rose bushes planted under the windows of the Hall, past the last window.

He led her to the very front, where there was a large platform of cement set in the grass.

Nick started humming something that sounded like Stranger's in the Night.

"Will you dance with me?" asked Nick. Hermione was taken aback. "Oh come. It's just to lift the moodiness of this all." assured Nick.

She hesitated but could not resist his charming and luring expression that was on the brink of a playful grin.

This was a side on Nick that Hermione had never seen. The funny and young side.

She stepped onto the platform, her worries melting away. A smile crept on her face and she felt herself shiver.

"If I still had a coat that was removable, I would give it to you like a gentleman." he joked.

Hermione walked up and he took her hands and started humming Stranger's of the Night again.

"I wasn't aware you knew that song, seeing as you are from the 1500's." Hermione remarked.

"Well I've seen my fair share of romance and music here at Hogwarts during the dances, romances, and other things." replied Nick in a cool relaxed way.

Hermione started swaying her hips in rhythm with his humming.

The stars in the sky lite Hermione and Nick. His ghostly self was fully visible in the dark summer night.

Every little detail was remember by Hermione subconsciously. It seemed Nick was actually quite young. Not the fifty something everyone thought him to be. His hair was gray due to his ghostliness and his skin was actually smooth looking.

"I was actually only 31 when I was sentenced to execution.." he put forth sadly, while looking away.

"Oh.."

Hermione continued humming to where he had left of.

They both swayed and when the song got to it's swift part, they started waltzing.

Hermione smile fully for the first time in a year.

Perhaps….. She was falling in love…. _No it's impossible, he's not alive. How can I love him?_

The humming duet ended and Hermione sighed. Nick looked at her with sad eyes, pondering on her expression.

Hermione softly looked into his eyes. She saw sadness and a little twinkle of.. Could it be? Romance?

Hermione gave a random smile for the hundredth time that evening.

She took her hands out of Nick's air ones and looked at him.

"Well, have a good night, tell the Baron I wish him a happy birthday." she said sadly.

Nick gave a smile, it's edges almost hinting disappointment. Hermione started walking and when she looked back, Nick's was turned, looking at the forest.

She blew him a kiss.

_Yes, I don't know him much but I think I'm in love…_

**A/N: Wow, this is really turning into a romance. I didn't think I was capable of that. I normally write drama and then delete it without posting! Well review. I'll write more and faster. **


	4. Damn Ferret Ruins My Train of Thought

Hermione stood at the foot of her bed. Her mind was brimming full of confused thoughts.

Nick had been the object of her thoughts for the last hour. During her walk back she had thought, during her bath she had thought, and especially when she had touched her hands, where only recently Nick's cold un feel able ones had been.

She closed her eyes in attempt to clear her mind. But that only made it worse.

_Nick and Hermione, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First a date, then marriage, then comes Hermione with a baby carriage._

Hermione raised her eyebrows to her own random thoughts. 

_He's a ghost, how can you ever have a baby with him?_

She laughed a quickie. 

Suddenly her door burst open and in came a blonde man.

"Malfoy!" she yelled up in surprise. Her towel fell to the floor, as she had only gotten out of the shower.

Draco Malfoy put on a smirk looking down her naked body.

"Oh well, wrong room." he said, and Hermione reached down for her towel.

Hermione narrowed her eyes as he gave her one last look and smirk.

She shook her head majestically and sighed going back to her thoughts.

**A/N: I'm having a case of severe writer's block. I'll only start writing again if I get at least 5 reviews.**


	5. Yes

**A/N: Okay, hi everyone. I was feeling a bit down for no reason and my word thing was broken. But now I'm back. Enjoy.**

_I believe it's possible….._

_Yes, I do love him no matter what._

Hermione paced up and down the corridor, her hair flowing along in the brisk morning as she kept up her pace.

Her ideas had led her to the most strangest things.

Why did she love him? She barely knew him…

But that romantic time he hummed Stranger's in the Night, left her with more than an attraction.

His smiling face. The whispers of his voice…. The strange lack of it made her feel empty….

Hermione mentally slapped herself.

_If I fall in love now, soon I will realize I can never be with him truly, and my heart will break…_

Some tears escaped her for she now knew that that moment had come. She had fallen in love and couldn't shake it off.

………………………………...

While Hermione was doing her own pacing, Nick did his own.

_Nicholas control yourself. She's alive, you can't love her! Yes perhaps it's attraction but nothing more.._

_If you tell her the truth you will scare her away. How could she love you back? Dead, old fashioned, sad…._

_God, I do love her voice…._

Nick jumped up briskly as he thought that.

_You love her, admit it._

"Yes, I do." he admitted aloud after some though and struggle.

**A/N: Review, review, review. Review's make me feel fuzzy and warm.**


	6. Confused and in Love

**A/N: Hey everyone, I know the few people who have been reading my story have been waiting for a considerable amount of time. Here is my excuse: I had a serious case of writer's block. Now I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Her face was furrowed up with emotions all trying to escape. Hermione heard some strange music in the background. Suddenly, her heart shocked away.

She gasped. "What's happening?" she asked herself. Then she knew the answer, it was buried in her thoughts.

Love.

--

During that time, Nick gathered together his confused thoughts.

_Okay, I just admitted it to myself, and yes, I'm willing to risk it._

His thoughts had led him to a decision. He was going to ask her out even though it was hard and he had decided that she didn't love him back.

Nick's mind was confused just as Hermione's was, halfway across the castle.

_But if she says yes, what do I do??_

He knew he loved her there and then.

No matter what the chances of her saying no, he would try.

--

Back in her room, she was on the verge of tears, during her childhood, even the thought of death had reduced her to tears. Now, this wasn't death but it was close. Her heart was beating hard, making her tremble. If she refused her emotions she would be turned over and upside down. It would be emotional death. She couldn't stop thoughts of Nick racing through her head.

Hermione sighed.

_I'll try to deal with it._

Suddenly the music she heard before got louder.

Her mind transported her to her childhood;

"_Hermione, dear, can you get the candles please?" said her mother with a smile in the dark._

"_Now this is fancy, sure love them blackouts. As soon as the power is back I'll be off calling the electric company." grumbled her father._

_Jane Granger raised her eyebrows with an amused smile, and George Granger knew that she was smiling from that funny crinkling sound his wife's action for bursting into a grin caused._

"_I love you.." said George and they hugged the moment Hermione came back with the flashlight. "Now, must I bother with this? I'll just go back and leave you two lovebirds in the DARK." joked Hermione._

"_Hermione!" cried Jane Granger. "Don't be such a love spoiler." _

"_Alright, alright. Now dad, where's that radio?" _

"_I believe it's on the washer." he answered, returning his attention and his smiles to his beautiful wife._

Hermione remembered her parent's adoration for each other. That music brought her back there for some reason.

Maybe one day Hermione would be in love just like her parents had been.

But all that depression had prevented it. The drinking, the rage for her foolish mistakes.

_Love washes that all away……_


	7. Note

So for the third time I've decided to redo this story. It seems that every few years I come back to Fanfiction with a renewed determination and considerably better English. So after reading my story with a very critical eye, I've decided to restart it again. The plot is surprisingly decent but in my prior versions I lacked grammar, proper sentence structures, and a good text editor program. Now, I am happy to say, I shall restart under the title 'What Flourishes Under Your Spell'


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